USDA finds pandemic H1N1 in Indiana commercial swine

[Gert van der Hoek]

USDA finds pandemic H1N1 in Indiana commercial swine

Mon Nov 2, 2009


USDA finds H1N1 flu in Indiana commercial swine


Mon Nov 2 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Agriculture Department on Monday said it found the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus for the first time in a commercial swine herd.

USDA said in a statement the pigs as well as caretakers have fully recovered. It noted none of the swine at the Indiana facility are showing clinical signs of the virus.

"Because swine that have recovered from influenza viruses are safe to move to slaughter, the Indiana facility has continued its routine processing practices," USDA said.

Last week, USDA said six pigs shown at the Minnesota State Fair in September have been confirmed as having had the pandemic H1N1 flu virus. The USDA found the virus in the first U.S. hog on October 19 -- one of the six positives from the fair.

The new strain of H1N1 virus, which has genetics from humans, birds and swine, likely circulated undetected in pigs for at least a decade before jumping to humans, according to an expert at the University of Arizona.

Swine flu, common in hogs around the world, causes fever and coughing in pigs, which usually recover from the illness. The virus has been found in several herds in Canada.

The new H1N1 virus, which emerged in March and was declared a pandemic in June, is circulating the globe and is common among people in most U.S. states.

http://www.reuters.com/article/swineFlu/idUSN0246040920091102?feedType=RSS&feedName=swineFlu&virtualBrandChannel=10521

[mixin]

Re: USDA finds pandemic H1N1 in Indiana commercial swine

More from Reuters:

A USDA spokesman said it could not release the city, name of the facility or the size of the herd where the pandemic H1N1 virus was found "in order to ensure continued high levels of participation in swine surveillance efforts, and because this is not a food safety or public health risk."

The USDA's finding appeared to have little impact on hog markets on Monday as analysts had forecast for some time that humans could transmit the flu to hogs.

USDA said it would post all future suspected and confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza detections on a spreadsheet at www.usda.gov/H1N1flu.

[Pathfinder]

Commercial pigs in Indiana test positive for H1N1

Commercial pigs in Indiana test positive for H1N1

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WASHINGTON (AP) ? The U.S. Department of Agriculture says pigs in a commercial herd in Indiana have tested positive for the swine flu virus.
This is the first instance of swine flu in a commercial herd in the United States.

The USDA says it discovered four tissue samples that tested positive for the virus using its swine surveillance program.

The USDA says the pigs as well as the people caring for the pigs have recovered. The sample was collected in late October.

Last month, tests confirmed several show pigs at the Minnesota State Fair contracted the virus, also known as H1N1.

http://www.fox8live.com/content/news/swineflu/story/Commercial-pigs-in-Indiana-test-positive-for-H1N1/YXTDm7vDU0u-XGc4tWeeVg.cspx

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[mixin]

Re: USDA finds pandemic H1N1 in Indiana commercial swine

A USDA spokesman said it could not release the city, name of the facility or the size of the herd

This annoyed me a little. I guess they think no one reads the OIE reports or knows how to check a map location using latitude and longitude.

I bet anyone within 20 miles of that dot on the map has a real good idea where farm that is.

OIE report:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131245